militarywikiaorg-20200222-history
2007 Shinwar shooting
The 2007 Shinwar shooting refers to the killing of a number of Afghan civilians by US Marines who were fleeing the scene of a bomb attack, in the Shinwar District of the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan on 4 March 2007. According to some reports, as many as 19 civilians were killed and 50 injured in the shootings. The exact casualty figures have not been firmly established. Sequence of events Haji Ihsanullah, a member of Hezb-e Islami Khalis,"Troops kill Afghan civilians after suicide attack ", WalesOnline.co.uk, 4 March 2007 initially drove a minivan laden with explosives into one of the five vehicles making up a US convoy, which included three, or six,Iqbal, Anwar (16 April 2007) "Marines killed civilians in Afghanistan: report ", Dawn.com humvees, wounding one Marine."U.S. investigating reports of Afghan civilians killed by its military forces ", AlaskaReport, 5 March 2007 Sources differ on whether or not hidden gunmen then also opened fire on the convoy."US Seizes Afghan Shooting Footage ", Al Jazeera English, 6 March 2007 US forces then fled the scene of the ambush, opening fire on some vehicles for 6–16 milesBright, Arthur (16 April 2007) "Pentagon inquiry finds US Marine unit killed Afghan civilians. Csmonitor, 16 April 2007 while driving along the Afghan street. According to several witnesses and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, US Marines responded to the attack with excessive force, firing indiscriminately at civilians passing by on the busy highway, killing elderly men, women, and children. Akhtyar Gul, a local reporter who witnessed the shooting, claimed that the Marines sprayed civilians with machine gun fire even though the Marines were not under attack. Associated Press and Afghan journalists claimed that US soldiers confiscated photos and videos of the killings and their aftermath. Afghan response The killings were followed by widespread protests across Afghanistan and drew sharp criticism from President Hamid Karzai. The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission contends that, "In failing to distinguish between civilians and legitimate military targets, the U.S. Marine Corps Special Forces employed indiscriminate force," the report said. "Their actions thus constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian standards." Aftermath Major General Frank Kearney, head of the USSOCOM, ordered the entire 120-member unit out of Afghanistan pending an investigation into the incident, and announced that there was no evidence supporting the Marines' story that they had come under fire. On 3 April 2007 the unit's commander and senior officer were relieved of their duties and sent back to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Compensation payments of approximately $2000 were reportedly paid to the families of those killed or wounded.Rights group assails U.S. marines in killings of Afghans – International Herald Tribune The shooting came under investigation by both Afghanistan and the United States. On 12 April 2007, an initial US inquiry determined that the Marines used "excessive force when they killed civilians after a suicide bombing", and was referred to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for a criminal inquiry. On 7 May 2007 a formal apology was issued by The Pentagon, but was dismissed as premature by General James T. Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps, who said, "I would just as soon that no one...apologize or talk about 'terrible, terrible mistakes'." In January 2008, a Marine Corps Court of Inquiry at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina formally investigated the incident, hearing from more than 50 witnesses, including Afghans, over 17 days. Much of the testimony was characterized as "vague and contradictory", but in the end the inquiry concluded that the convoy "acted appropriately and in accordance with the rules of engagement and tactics, techniques and procedures in place at the time in response to a complex attack." Treatment of photographers It was also reported that photographers on the scene were ordered by US troops not to take photographs and to delete those they had already taken. A freelance photographer working for the Associated Press, claimed that two marines and a translator came up to him and asked: "Why are you taking pictures? You don't have permission." Another photographer claimed that he had been told by US troops, through a translator: "Delete them photos, or we will delete you." All photos were deleted. See also * Civilian casualties of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) * Coalition casualties in Afghanistan * Command responsibility * International Security Assistance Force * Taliban insurgency * Haditha killings References External links *Afghan Independent Human Rights commission Home Page *NCIS Home Page *[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/20/world/asia/20abuse.html New York Times article comparing Shinwar killings to the Haditha massacre] *Afghan shootings raise war crimes question Channel 4, 27 July 2010 *Images and further information Category:Mass murder in 2007 Category:Conflicts in 2007 Category:2007 in Afghanistan Category:War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) casualties Category:Civilian casualties in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) Category:History of Nangarhar Province Category:Massacres in Afghanistan